Bete Noir
by Lythandae
Summary: Rogue is even enjoying herself these days but of course something must happen to prevent this crazy thing called happiness! So far it be a one off.


**It's Life, deal. **

_Don't own anything! Not exactly happy with it but that happens. Enjoy! Or not!_

Sweat scent filled the room, rolling off a dream-ridden figure restlessly turning in her sleep. A sudden convulsive moment and the girl is awake strangling the scream trying to tear from her throat. Slowly tense muscles relax as a warm furry head rubs itself against an elbow. Purring loudly the cat meows, the combining noise brings out a small chuckle from the girl.

Teasing breezes brought with it hints of rain and Rogue smiled at the purple clouds in the distance. Dragging herself from the open window Rogue grabbed her bag and left for class gently humming and thinking to go out and let the rain fall down on her if those clouds kept their promise. Maybe she could talk to Storm about it later.

'Hey chica!' Jubilee called out interrupting Rogue's thoughts. 'You gunna dawdle all day or hear my greatest idea to date!'

'If it's anything like the last one I'm not sure I want to know.' Rogue replied walking up to Jubilee and Kitty her former roommates before her nightmares grew too much for Rogue to want to share a room with anyone.

Kitty spoke while Jubilee pretended to be mortally wounded.

'Normally I'd agree at least until we've pounded some sense into yellow over there but she seems to have come up with a good plan that shouldn't get us in too much trouble with the professor.'

Rogue raised an eyebrow. 'Now I'm worried Kitty are you two sure you haven't been eatin' too many pixie sticks from my private stash?'

The two girls looked guilty 'You found out about that?' Jubilee asked.

'Considering about half of 'em were gone from last time I checked them yeah.'

'Half? I only took a few... Kitty Pryde!' Jubilee screeched at Kitty who immediately ducked an attack from Jubilees ruler and phased through the wall and into the classroom.

Chuckling Rogue followed her friends into class and pulled them apart by the ears distracting them both by asking about the plan for their latest prank. Immediately distracted the three girls began whispering in earnest occasionally glancing over to their intended victims.

Classes ended allowing Rogue to finally escape to her room and collapse onto her bed. Her cat leaped off the windowsill and onto the bed demanding Rogues attention. Technically Professor Xavier didn't allow pets but with Rogue still not able to control her powers the professor organised the staff of 'Mutant High' to give her a companion that would not easily suffer from any accidental brushes with her skin. Cat as she generally called him was given to her a few months ago when she moved out of Kitty and Jubilees room after they'd gone to comfort Rogue after a nightmare and forgotten about her skin one too many times. They'd both protested that they were at fault and it wouldn't happen again but Rogue's ex boyfriend Bobby silenced them saying 'Yeah but what if she kills you next time?'

Rogue wandered over to the window and stared out, wishing for rain. Although Rogue enjoyed the occasional moment when her skin seemed to turn itself off, simple things such as the wind on her face and feeling the patter of raindrops on her body became a kind of sensual pleasure.

Sighing Rogue left the room to meet with Jubilee and Kitty. The two had managed to recruit her into a little payback primarily involving Bobby.

_Well someone had to ensure they don't forget about teacher patrols._

A well executed prank later and a quick fly through the walls thanks to kitty the three girls collapsed on Jubilee's bed trying to contain their giggles.

"His face!"

"And when he woke up!"

"And when you phased through to colossus' room!"

The girls burst out laughing.

Sullen glares of the victims focused on the three girls for a week or so until it was gradually forgotten. New mutants were coming in almost every week and new wings of the mansion were filling up. The senior students were now given the option of danger room training. Professor Xavier told them that it was important for mutants to not only are able to defend themselves but to have the ability to assist other when needed.

Despite having begun training in earnest Rogue began to feel the affects of her stolen memories after only a couple of months of intensive training. Magneto's voice was persistent in telling her what fools they all were, sneering at Xavier's plan for a tolerant world and laughing every time Rogue flinched during training. The only thing that could drown out Magneto's voice was Logan. Logan was the strongest but normally the quietest, leaving Rogue to block Magneto out on her own. The onlyissue with having Logan in her head was that the Wolverine was in there too. The things Wolverine said to her during training scared her almost as much as the nightmares. The beast wrapped in Logan's voice telling her exactly what was needed to finish off her sparring partner, how easy it would be to unsheathe her claws and brush past their feeble defence. More than once Rogue had found herself fixated on her training partner's throat feeling the Wolverine in her mind growling in anticipation. It got harder to push Wolverine away. She couldn't keep the beast chained up, not with his nightmares and memories flooding out every time Rogue's eyes closed.

It was the Professor's idea to try meditation and telepathic healing techniques to try to build up Rogue's defences against her 'guests' Xavier explained to Rogue after several sessions that the difficulty they were encountering was that the process was like trying to split your own personality apart. Finding things which were still exclusively 'Rogue' while not impossible would still take some time.

These sessions would leave her exhausted and it was left to Kitty and Jubilee to herd Rogue back into her room and ply her with chocolate, ice cream and gossip until they made Rogue giggle and blush.

It was times like those which made Rogue forget she couldn't touch .

For the briefest of moments she'd feel 'normal.'

"Marie."

"nzzft?" Rogue woke up to Logan's voice in her head

"I was asleep there." Rogue grumbled

"We're coming back."

"Back?" Rogue's sleep fuddled brain took a few moments to process what the inner Logan meant. "Wait! coming back? How do you know?" But Logan retreated leaving the Wolverine there, Magneto sidled upwards in his place.

"I see your protector has neglected to mention what will happen when the real Wolverine returns."

The Wolverine who had been growling at Magneto's appearance leapt at him.

"NO!" Rogue gasped as the Wolverine slammed into her shields. "Magneto tell... ugh.. me!" Wolverine launched himself again.

Carefully eyeing the Wolverine Magneto stepped closer to Rogue bringing a faint hint of his memories with him.

"Child.. All our nightmares will return unto you tenfold, perhaps even a hundredfold"

Her hold on the Wolverine broke and Magneto fled in his wake.

Rogue curled up and wept


End file.
